An album created in Stone is bringing new life to music first written and recorded more than 30 years ago.
Brothers Mark and Shawn Husband have spent the past five months reworking songs originally written by their dad, Phil Husband, who played in a local band called Burn during the 1990s.
Phil lived in Stone for 30 years, and was a familiar face in local pubs, bars and clubs during that time.
Phil now lives in a residential care home after developing dementia and no longer remembers the period when he was writing and performing music.
The new album has been created as a way of preserving that part of his life and celebrating his songwriting, even though he can no longer recall it himself.
Bringing old recordings into the present
The original tracks were recorded in the 1990s, long before modern home recording tools were widely available.
Using AI technology, Mark and Shawn have carefully reimagined those songs, enhancing the original material while keeping the core of their dad’s writing intact.
According to Phil’s daughter Natalie Sayner, the work was slow and deliberate rather than automated.
She said the brothers spent months painstakingly producing the album, treating it as a labour of love rather than a commercial project.
There is no financial gain attached to the release.
Instead, the aim is simply for people to listen, particularly those with an interest in rock and metal, and to appreciate Phil’s songwriting at a time when he can no longer do so himself.
A Stone story at its heart
Phil spent much of his adult life in Stone, and his family say the town and its music scene were a big part of his identity.
Natalie said it would mean a great deal for people from Stone, especially those who remember the local live music scene of the 1990s, to take the time to listen.
She added that being able to show Phil that people are engaging with his music now, even though he cannot remember creating it, has been deeply important to the family.
The album is available to stream on Spotify under the name Burn, with the title Highway to Despair.
